A method of literary comparison during the process of the formation of students' national identity in teaching literature in school is considered. Theoretical and practical bases of the creation of modern educational technologies for the formation of national identity are determined. It is established that the comparison of literatures actualizes interdisciplinary bonds and makes it possible to use integrational approach in the process of national identity formation during literature lessons. The potential of literary comparison is distinguished while realizing the cognitive educational tasks (the formation of the students' knowledge on the national features of literatures, on the multiplicity of literatures (cultures), differences between them, and, at the same time, similarities, due to the common values of the Russian culture) and value-oriented educational tasks (the formation of the awareness of the concern for the national cultural values).It was revealed that the method of literary comparison used in the practice of teaching literature is oriented to establish typological similarities between them. The article substantiates the need to introduce new concepts into the practice of teaching literature at school (national topos, national character, national concept, cultural archetype) aimed at establishing literary differences determined by the national identity of cultures. The possibilities of these concepts are demonstrated in a comparative study of the works of Russian and Tatar literatures in the process of teaching literature at schools.